On the evening of December 3, at the beginning of an evening dance, students at Sam Barlow High School (SBHS) alerted administration that there was a suspicious person on the roof of the school.

School Resource Officer Jeff Culp was notified and investigated. He confronted the individual and determined he was a SBHS student. Gresham Police say the student was cooperative and told them he was there in a security capacity to ensure the safety of the students attending the dance. During the investigation, Officer Culp discovered the student had two unloaded handguns and handgun ammunition. Gresham police say that while the student did not express a plan to hurt anyone, he was arrested on multiple weapon possession charges.

“The students who spotted the individual and reported it to school administration are to be commended,” said Superintendent Jim Schlachter. “It’s important for everyone in the school community to watch for unusual situations and report what they see or hear right away. This is key to keeping our schools safe.”

The dance was the school’s annual winter formal, known as the “Snowball Dance.” Because there was no indication that there was anyone else involved, Gresham police determined it was safe for the dance to continue.

Since the incident, the school district has been working closely with the Gresham Police Department and as the investigation continues, the school district and police will continue to work together.

While the police believe this was an isolated incident, they are asking that anyone who has information related to this incident or any other possible incident to call Officer Jeff Culp at 503-258-4864.